Bonita Fish Company eyes October opening
New restaurant replacing Bonita Bill's Waterfront Cafe on Fort Myers Beach
While the Bayside at Bonita Fish Company event space is now open and taking reservations at the former iconic Bonita Bill’s Waterfront Cafe off Fishermans Wharf in Fort Myers Beach, progress is rapidly being made into opening the main restaurant.
The owners, HM Restaurant Group, expect to open Bonita Fish Company in October. The restaurant neighbors their Dixie Fish Company restaurant, which they own along with the neighboring Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille.
The company recently named Krystian Martinez as the new General Manager of Bonita Fish Company. Martinez and Private Events Manager Joe Sletten recently gave the Fort Myers Beach Observer a tour of the work at Bonita Fish Company as well as at Bayside at Bonita Fish Company event space which Sletten is helping to run. Both are longtime employees of HM Restaurant Group.
The scenic waterfront setting along Matanzas Pass overlooking the harbor and the 35-slip marina planned has been undergoing renovations since HM Restaurant purchased the property along with several other neighboring parcels for $5.5 million in January.
Joe Harrity, a partner in HM Restaurant Group, said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently gave approval for the new docks. Once the county gives approval, Harrity said it could be three to four months before the docks are all in with wet slips.
“By the new year, we should be looking good at the marina,” Harrity said.
Sletten said the new event space has undergone extensive renovations, from a new ceiling to newly-painted walls, new paint on the floors, new lighting, fans, shades and new restrooms. There are now two restrooms in the event space.
The event room has recently hosted a baby shower and a celebration of life. The event space includes outdoor tables and seating overlooking the beautiful bay. A new outdoor bar, new railings and new paint are among the upgrades on the outdoor space.
The event space can be used for private celebrations, community events, birthday and holiday parties, small weddings and charity events.
The roof on Bonita Fish Company was also replaced.
Progress at Bonita Fish Company
The work at Bonita Fish Company is moving fast and furiously with a brand new bar installed in the middle of the room. Rather than customers ordering from the old bar next to the kitchen, waiting staff will attend to tables and to those seated at the middle bar. The old ordering window will become a kitchen door. Beer from local breweries is expected to be highlighted at the bar.
The owners have overhauled the kitchen with new equipment, including a new smoker which will give the owners a range of options for the menu.
“What we are going to smoke, we don’t know yet but we are going to be able to smoke a lot of different things,” Martinez said.
The menu is still being perfected.
The owners want to give the restaurant its own distinct menu that is different from the neighboring properties while also keeping part of the menu that made Bonita Bill’s Waterfront Cafe popular for so many years.
“It’s a whole new concept,” Martinez said. “We are not 100% on the menu yet.”
The old Bonita Bill’s was known for its seafood as well as traditional restaurant fare at reasonable prices.
There are plans to do brunches on the weekends from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
There will be roll-down curtains and a new tiki bar to replace the one destroyed by Hurricane Ian. The tiki bar will be constructed on space that is currently part of the parking lot.
Once completed, Bonita Fish Company will feature 300 indoor and outdoor seats, a large center bar, daily music and a menu focusing on fresh seafood.
HM Restaurant Group is also building a floating dock marina, which will operate independently from the restaurant and serve boat-in customers, offer long-term rentals and accommodate boats up to 90 feet with shore power and water.
Originally built in 1926 as Bonita Fish House, the restaurant’s new name pays homage to the heritage and history of old Florida fish houses. The restaurant’s former owner Bill Semmer, died last year – prompting the sale.
The owners had to remove four boats that had washed up on the docks of the restaurant, including on boat that had literally settled on top of the dock of the restaurant and had become a sort-of landmark with dozens of signatures. The boat had to be removed for safety reasons.
Bayside at Bonita Fish Company and Doc Ford’s Lounge reservations and additional information are available by contacting Private Events Manager Joe Sletten at joesletten@hmrestaurantgroup.com or 239-788-4067.